The Post War Cards Newsletter #32
The Post War Cards Newsletter #32
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📚 Topps File Set Series
I just wrapped up a series of articles on the blog about Topps File Sets. The files represent the sole collection of every series of cards that Topps preserved for its internal archives, usually with two card sets affixed to pages post-production to display the front and back of each card.
In Part 1, I highlighted the bound volumes that Topps sold through the famous 1989 Guernsey’s Auction. For the auction, over 3000 lots were identified and sold, including Topps files from 1953 through 1966 across the four major sports.
Then, in the second article, I took a closer look at some notable resales of Topps file albums and shared some interesting facts about their ongoing legacy. The oldest file set that Guernsey’s auctioned off in 1989 was the 1951 Topps Magic football set. It originally included 155 cards from Topps’ Archives. Robert Edward Auctions resold the lot, and it included two examples of each card from 1 to 75 but was missing the back copy of 18. It also had extra copies of six cards. The binder sold for $7110. Most interestingly, it concluded two unopened packs (penny and nickel) and two wrappers.
While many Topps file albums were sold in the famous 1989 Guernsey’s Topps Auction and subsequently resold to new owners, hundreds of others were retained in the files. Topps later authenticated and sold many individual pages as file copy binder pages, both through their own website and on eBay. So, in Part 3 of the series, I dove into some of the file binder copy pages that have entered the hobby.
I wrapped up the series, in Part 4, by focusing on individually graded Topps vault file copies of baseball, football, and hockey cards. At a certain point, Topps only kept one stain-free copy of each card in a presentation binder, so some Topps Vault File Copy cards are One-of-Ones.
I really enjoyed researching these hobby history pieces, which motivated me to take on other long-form projects; happy collecting!
🗞️ In The News
Business Wire: Collectors Closes $125M Revolving Line of Credit with J.P. Morgan, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and California Bank & Trust
PR Newswire: Upper Deck Announces Exclusive Trading Card Deal With The United States Football League
Action Network: Fanatics Can Continue Hiring Panini Employees, Judge Rules
Ink Free News: Criminal Charges Filed Against Former Columbia City Parks Superintendent
🤤 Robert Edward Auctions Spring Catalog Results
Robert Edward Auctions usually showcases the most vintage breadth (variety) and depth (uniqueness) among its competitors, and its Spring Catalog was no exception. And funny enough, as I just wrapped up my Topps File Set Series, they sold a “1958 Topps Baseball File Binder from the 1989 Topps/Guernsey's Auction (133 Cards)” last Sunday for $990.
The auction highlights included a slew of high-grade post-war cards, including a 1955 Topps Clemente PSA 9 ($960k), a 1955 Topps Koufax PSA 9 ($384k), a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson PSA 9 ($348k), and a 1953 Topps Jackie Robinson PSA 9 ($180k).
The 1932 R328 U.S. Caramel Babe Ruth PSA 8 ($210k) and 1939 R334 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio PSA 9 ($102k) also stood out.
Items that tend to resonate with me are those that I’ve written about recently or collected before. From an unopened perspective, there was a trio of rare empty display boxes in the auction; a 1951 Bowman Baseball 1-Cent Box ($2760), a 1952 Bowman Baseball 5-Cent Box ($4560), and a 1953 Topps Baseball 5-Cent Box ($1320).
The monster-authenticated boxes included a 1959 Topps Baseball 4th-Series Cello Box ($186k), a 1971 Topps Baseball 4th-Series Wax Box ($144k), and a 1970 Topps Basketball 2nd-Series Wax Box ($108k).
Regarding items I’ve written about lately, REA auctioned off a pair of Topps Plaks Checklists, the American League card sold for $930, and the National League card sold for $4320. They also sold a GAI-graded Unopened Pack for $7200.
I also recently wrote an overview of the Dirty Dozen 1977 Topps Mexican Football cards, and REA sold a BBCE-authenticated wax box of the product for $1440.
Lastly, some of the other unique items to me were the W-classified Babe Ruth cards W501 ($11,100), W512 ($3720 for the PSA 5 and $1560 for the SGC 2), W519 ($5040), W516-2-3 ($3840), W519-1 ($2880), and W520 ($4560).
The 1970 Topps Super Football Blank Back Partial Proof Sheet ($180) and 1971 Topps Super Blank Back Uncut Proof Sheet Pair ($570) were overlooked highlights.
⌨️ On The PostWarCards Blog
April 17th, 2023: Topps File Sets Part 4: Exploring Individually Slabbed Vault Copies of Topps Baseball, Football, and Hockey Cards
April 18th, 2023: Examining the Allure of the 1952-53 Parkhurst Hockey Set and Album
April 24th, 2023: Beyond the Junk Wax Era: The Scarce 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Rack Packs
April 25th, 2023: Kit Young’s Advertisements for Stan-The-Man’s Official 1964 Rack-Um-Up Bat Rack
🏀 A 1957 Topps Basketball PSA Pack
Most major auction houses seem to have auctions closing around now, including Mile High Card Company. Their Spring 2023 auction closed on April 21, 2023. One of the coolest items they sold, whose price exceeded estimates of most unopened collectors, was this 1957 Topps Basketball 5 Cent Wax Pack graded PSA 7 that sold for $130,744.08.
PSA has only encapsulated nine of them (three 6s, four 7s, two 8s), and there are probably a bunch still in GAI holders, but likely not even an entire box worth across both companies. Some Facebook Vintage Wax and Packs Group collectors said that this pack was probably part of a late 90s/early 2000s find. They thought they started selling for prices in the mid-teens (~$15k) and that there were around 27 of them that GAI mostly slabbed as 7s/7.5s and that this pack was probably a cross from that find.
Mile High also sold a 1968 Topps Complete Set Completely PSA Graded With An Amazing 9.94 GPA and 10.90 Weighted GPA 572/598 PSA 10's for just over $1.4M! Other high-priced sales included a 1949 Bowman Satchell Paige PSA 9 for $216k, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 5.5 for $161k, a 1952 Topps Willie Mays PSA 8 for $160k, a 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson PSA 8 for $145k and a 1950 Bowman Otto Graham PSA 9 for $126k.